


Katz and Dogs

by KendraLuehr



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Male-Female Friendship, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-09 08:12:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1143626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KendraLuehr/pseuds/KendraLuehr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>More often than not, the one who loves us most is our best friend. Will x Beverly drabbles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Katz Person

**Author's Note:**

> I'd actually written this a long time ago, but I figured I might as well post it here, too. Anyway, I'd like to keep working on Will/Bev drabbles throughout the series' run, so hopefully that'll be a long time. Feel free to request a prompt - I'm willing to do just about anything. And to those of you who're reading "Kismet," no, I promise I haven't forgotten about it. I'm just having a lot of issues with writer's block, so I apologize. I'm hoping the series' return will help, because oh my GOD, that S2 trailer... I'm still flailing.

When Beverly found Will Graham, he was curled up on the floor in the fetal position, trembling and rocking amidst a shower of broken glass. Upon further inspection, she realized the bathroom mirror was shattered. She would later find that every reflective surface in the house had suffered the same fate.

"Graham?"

He stirred, but did not respond.

"Graham, are you ok?"

Finally he looked up at her, his eyes dim and sad as he sluggishly raised his head. "Beverly," he rasped. "You came..."

It was an odd thing to say. Will hadn't called Beverly and she, in turn, hadn't made any plans to come see him – it had just happened naturally.

"I was in the area," she insisted. There was no need to include that she'd been worried about him, because it was clearly written in the concerned lines on her face. Hell, _everyone_ had been worried about Will after Greenwood.

Now stepping lightly into the bathroom, Beverly was careful to avoid the larger pieces of glass as she approached her fallen friend. She bit her lip. Getting down on bended knee, she touched Will's wrist and received a shock when his firm, strong arms came around her waist.

"Will?"

He gripped at her more desperately. After Beverly had relaxed in his fierce embrace, she rocked him gently like a child, his sobs catching against her throat as she stroked his hair. After a while, she couldn't tell if the tears trickling down her neck were his or hers.

Trailing her fingers down his back, Beverly furrowed her brows when she saw his busted knuckles. They were bloody with bits of glass embedded in the skin.

"You sure know how to get yourself into some serious scrapes, pal," she teased. Trying to lie him back down, she felt her heart tug when he grasped at her more tightly. "I'm just getting some gauze," she assured him.

Will blinked in response, then trembled as Beverly's hand slid down the curve of his cheek. "Ok," he whispered.

With an assuring nod, Beverly laid him across the floor before moving toward the broken mirror. Gingerly plucking glass out of the way of the medicine cabinet, she sifted around a bit before finding gauze, iodine, cotton balls, and a pair of tweezers.

Promptly returning to her friend, Beverly knelt down and brushed the hair back from his forehead. "This is going to sting a bit, Champ, but I figured you're man enough to handle it."

Will gave a worn smile in response. With his head lolling to the side, he dizzily allowed Beverly to pluck the shards from his skin. He didn't even flinch.

"Graham?"

"Hmm?"

"Please say something...you're starting to scare me."

"...Something."

Though Beverly would normally be unamused with this wisecrack, she gave a relieved little chuckle. "You're a smart-ass even when you're completely off your rocker – go figure."

After treating his cuts with iodine, she applied the gauze and leaned back on her haunches. "There," she said soothingly. "All done."

"Thanks," Will mumbled. His eyes slowly opened and closed.

With a deep breath, Beverly shook her head and glanced off to the side. She couldn't relate to Will's experience at Greenwood, but she could relate to his emotions. Fear, guilt, pain, uncertainty, confusion...they were all things she was feeling right now.

"Graham," she gently began, "do you think you can stand?"

"Don't want to."

Disheartened by Will's feeble answer, Beverly found that she finally understood his heartbroken disposition. He refused to look at the mirror because he was genuinely afraid of what he'd see. He thought he was losing his mind – his tenuous sense of reality – and he didn't want to behold the monster he already knew was there.

Reaching out and taking Will's uninjured hand, Beverly wondered if she could ever smooth his checkered past...if she could ever give him the hope and strength he so sorely needed.

It had only been in recent times that Beverly realized she cared for Will Graham. He was a delicate amalgam of darkness and light, and yet she loved him – _achingly_ loved him – and wanted to be there to help pick up the pieces. Unfortunately for Will, he seemed to be constantly consumed by his demons.

Gingerly placing Will's head against her lap, Beverly ran her fingers through his hair and listened to the soft, defeated release of his breathing. "Do you need anything, Champ?"

"No...just you," he mumbled.

In spite of her concern, Beverly felt an unmatched warmth at his words. Nobody had wanted to be close to her after her sister's string of murders, so she supposed she was latching onto the one person who could possibly understand. Will didn't care that she had a murderer in her family, and she, in turn, didn't care that he empathized a little too deeply with criminals. In this way, they were good for each other. The problem was Beverly didn't know if her support would be enough. What if she couldn't help him overcome his latest hurdle?

"Bev?"

She looked down in surprise. "Yeah?"

"I think I'm a Katz person now."

In spite of the glumness of their situation, she laughed and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You're such a damn cornball."

Returning her smile, Will curled up against her and draped an arm across her thigh. As they laid there amidst the glass and pain, both sharing an unspoken communion of calm, they experienced more contentment than they'd ever known.


	2. The Breaking Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a drabble of Will reacting to Abigail's death, and Beverly being there to comfort him (BECAUSE I SWEAR TO GOD, I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO COPE. F#CK). And yes, it's AU. Let's just pretend that Will isn't about to get arrested. The end.

Will was lost...adrift.. _.weightless._ As he continued to stand on the roof of the Academy, he felt his knees weaken until he sank down to the cold, rough surface. When his backside collided with the roof, he rolled over and found himself lying flat on his back. Blinking up at the sky, his lip quivered. He could see nothing but endless grey clouds and pain – pain that he'd ultimately failed to keep from cloaking Abigail Hobbs.

He squeezed his eyes shut to block her out. Another shudder racked through him, long and deep, but this time he gave a dry and tearless sob. To his left, he could hear the door leading from the stairs slowly creak open.

Without opening his eyes, he wearily said, "Don't worry, Jack, I'm not going to jump... I just figured I'd watch the clouds."

Beverly paused, her hand still on the doorknob as she appraised her friend. His eyes were closed, but swollen, and his brows were etched in a mask of lost fury. She watched him for a moment more, then took a seat beside him on the cold roof.

"Hey, Champ," she softly greeted.

Eyes snapping open, Will looked up at her and felt his heart clench. "W-what are you doing here? What happened to...?"

"Will..." Beverly reached out a hand, her fingers gently entwining with his. "I'm here."

He didn't seem to hear her. Promptly removing himself from her grasp, Will's manner was almost explosive as he lurched off the ground. "You left Abigail alone," he accused. "Goddammit, you left her _alone!_ How could you leave her in the morgue by herself? You said...you said you'd stay with her so I could...so I could..." Trailing off, he twitched and almost appeared as though he would strike out with his fists.

Beverly winced from the growling force of his words. Even though she wanted to be a source of comfort, she also wasn't going to stand back and let him accuse her of something that wasn't logical. Eyes narrowing, she snapped, "I didn't leave her alone, Will! Price and Zeller are examining the body, so she's in good hands! You have to stop acting like this is your fault – you couldn't have saved her!"

Will moved to give a vicious retort, but his resolve crumbled. With a shuddery breath, he slumped forward and cradled his face in his hands, furiously shaking his head as he tried to drown out the ugly truths that came infiltrating his mind all at once. He felt Beverly's hands on his shoulders then, but still he didn't move.

"Will," he heard her gently beseech, "Will, listen to me..."

"She's dead," he repeated woefully over and over, "she's _dead..."_

"And no one else will die," Beverly assured him. "I know you may not believe me, but we're close – I can feel it. And when we nab the guy, Abigail's death won't be in vain."

Will trembled. "You can't promise that...you can't _know_ that'll happen."

"I know you," Beverly softly shot back, "and you'll find the bastard. You always do."

This time, Will allowed her to take his hand.


	3. An Unnecessary Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jack convinces Will to speak to Dr. Lecter, Beverly has something to say about it. (Takes place during _Red Dragon_ )

"An Unnecessary Sacrifice"

"Price said you're going to see Dr. Lecter...wanna tell me why?"

Will didn't answer Beverly's query, his arms threading through his jacket with determination. Frustrated, his colleague hotly stepped in front of him, thwarting his exit.

"You can't talk to him."

"Why? It's my duty."

 _"Screw_ duty! You don't owe us _anything_ after what happened!" Expression pinched, Beverly blocked his side-step and tried to meet his gaze. "Jack showed you the photos, didn't he?"

Will smiled weakly, nodding. "For both families, yeah."

"We don't need you on this case...we may be a bit understaffed at the moment, but we can figure it out on our own."

"Jack wouldn't have asked for help unless he needed it – you know that as well as I do."

"Ok," Beverly agreed, "maybe you're right about that, but you have to think rationally here. Lecter _destroyed_ your life!"

"And he'll destroy many others if I don't help!" Will fired back. "Beverly, please... _please_ just get out of my way." His eyes were tired and imploring, the fatigue in his face causing the resolve in Beverly to rise.

"No," she said, blocking off the door. "If Jack's authorizing this whole debacle, just give me a chance to talk with him. I'll go in your place."

"Are you _crazy?"_

"No crazier than you, apparently."

Will stepped forward then, stunning Beverly with his sudden closeness. "I'm doing this to save lives, _not_ because I want to help the Bureau."

Beverly was livid. "Oh, yeah? 'Cause it looks to me like you're punishing yourself, Will. No one deserves the kind of pain you put yourself through."

"Self-gratification is _not_ pain."

"Well neither is saving lives, but it sure as hell seems to have put _you_ through the ringer!"

Will trembled. "You don't know a _goddamn-"_

"Yes," she cut in, "I _do._ And maybe I'd know a lot more if you actually let me in for a change!" He tried to turn away from her, but she wrenched him back, furious. "Stop trying to run away from your problems!"

"I'm not – I'm trying to face them!" Will growled. "You're the one who's running away – _you're_ the one who won't let me move on with my life!"

Silence filled the air and Beverly faltered, her eyes stinging. "All I want is for you to be well again," she whispered. "Is that so wrong of me?"

Will swallowed sharply, his Adam's apple bobbing low in his throat. "No...I guess not," he rasped. "You've always known me better than most, and after Dr. Lecter...well...I guess it's unsettling to think someone can see me as well as you can. Not even Molly..." He trailed off, his eyes distant and pained.

Wordlessly, Beverly stepped forward and pulled Will into her arms, her eyes closing as his whiskered cheek pressed into her smooth one.

"Everything's so fucked," he whispered. Clutching her more tightly, he buried his face in her hair and trembled.

"It's ok, Will," she assured him. "I'm here."

He smiled sadly. He knew Beverly was telling the truth – even after all their ups and downs, she'd never proven herself unfaithful. She'd always been there for him.

Cupping Beverly's cheek with one hand, Will turned his head and pressed his lips to the soft curve of her face. It had been a warm, appreciative gesture – perhaps even platonic – but as she traitorously leaned into his touch, Beverly could feel the heat from his wedding band burning into her skin.

"Will...?" Her tone was hushed and questioning.

He slid his thumb down the slope of her cheek, now resting his forehead against hers. The soft, yet shallow rush of his breath scorched her upper lip.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Confused, Beverly moved to ask what he meant, but soon found herself trapped in his demanding embrace. With his hands tugging on her dark locks, Will urged his mouth strongly over hers in a rough, needy kiss that set her nerves aflame. He licked at her lips, hoping to be granted access as her hands found purchase in his hair. Roughly tugging on his curls, Beverly parted her lips and allowed his tongue to gloss over her own, her free hand resting against his chest as if this could keep him at bay. She heard him groan low in his throat.

Sliding her hand down from Will's chest to his stomach, Beverly could feel the white-hot presence of where she imagined his scar to be. She broke the kiss and tried to pull back, struggling for breath as Will pressed his forehead to hers. His hands cupped her cheeks and he began to tremble, tears lingering in his eyes as he miserably shook his head. "This proves I'm alive, doesn't it? And if I want to stay that way, I need to fight back before it's too late."

"But Molly..."

"Don't," he pleaded. "I selfishly dragged you into my problems, and for that I'm sorry. All you've ever done is be a good friend to me and, as always, I felt compelled to destroy whatever I touch. I don't expect you to understand, but I hope that in time you can forgive me."

"Then...you're still going?"

He nodded sadly. "Yeah...like I said before, I have to."

As Will turned to make his leave, Beverly didn't stop him this time. Her arms came around herself in a supporting hug, her eyes squeezing tightly closed as she bowed her head. Though her stomach churned over what they'd just done to Molly, Beverly knew she could never blame Will for what happened. All he'd wanted was a bit of stability – a bit of _comfort –_ before his final judgment with the devil.


End file.
